Shades of Obsession
by A. Alice-LaCasse
Summary: She was so small, so delicate, and he desired her more than life itself. Kagome x Itachi, one-sided Kagome x Sasuke. Non-massacre.
1. Obsession

**Title: **Shades of Obsession

**Rating: **T, M for future chapters.

**Warning: **Violence, Suggestive themes, eventual lemons, obsessive and slightly psychotic Itachi, dark themes, possible OCC-ness, possible gore, swearing, and crude humor.

**Genre: **Adventure/Romance/Friendship/Angst

**Main Pairings: **Itachi/Kagome

**Side Pairings: **One-sided Sasuke/Kagome, TenTen/Neji, Shikamaru/Temari.

**Summary: **She was so small, so delicate, and he desired her more than the life itself.

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

**Obsession**

_By A. Alice-LaCasse_

* * *

_Cure for an obsession: get another one. - **Mason Cooley**_

* * *

He first met her when she was 8.

He was filling in for his mother and picking up Sasuke from Academy, it was then that he spotted his little brother chatting happily with a small girl, one that looked incredibly tiny for her age. Dark haired ruffled in the wind as she kept talking to Sasuke, who looked surprisingly interested in whatever she was saying.

Uchiha's Itachi's face crumpled slightly in confusion as he observed the scene before him. He knew that his brother was picky when it came to people he talked with so he couldn't help but to feel intrigued about this new girl.

"Otouto."

The young Uchiha Sasuke froze, quickly turning around to stare at his older brother with wide eyes.

"Aniki!" he exclaimed in surprise, he honestly couldn't remember the last time his older brother came to pick him up from academy, since he was so busy all the time, trying to complete his missions.

Itachi felt a small spark of affection as he noticed a look of absolute delight spread across Sasuke's face. However, Itachi, albeit unwillingly, found his attention drawn by the small girl on Sasuke's side who was staring at him with open curiosity.

"Who's your friend, Sasuke?" he questioned softly, watching as the girl shyly hid behind his younger brother. Itachi didn't miss the smallest hint of blush on Sasuke's face, either.

_How amusing…_

"Aa…" the raven haired boy muttered, glancing at his new friend who was still hiding behind him, peeking at Itachi over his shoulder. "This is Higurashi Kagome, she's new."

Itachi noticed that the girl was looking at him with wide innocent eyes, that made something inside of him stir. Kagome moved away from Sasuke, still a bit cautious of the older Uchiha before her. Even in her young mind she admitted that he was very handsome, unlike his brother who was more cute than handsome. His onyx eyes were darker as well, colder, more passive than any other pair of eyes she had ever seen. For some strange, unexplainable reason she wanted to be closer to him, make him smile, she knew he would look even handsomer if he smiled.

She slowly stepped closer towards him, stretching her small hand towards him, and closing her open hands around his shirt material.

"Hi!"

Itachi's entire body went rigid as the dark haired girl pressed herself against him, smiling at him so widely that it appeared almost painful. At that moment he felt something inside of him shift and twist; a sudden feeling of peace overcoming him, and he was both comforted and scared by the effect the small creature before him had on him. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to protect that beautiful smile on her face, he hated himself for it, but he felt like it wasn't the gravity that was holding him to the ground anymore; no, it was that small girl barley reaching his waist.

Maybe, Kagome should have never smiled at him like that, never should have held onto him in a way that appeared that she would never let him go. Because those actions, unknown to her, sealed her fate forever.

And that day, Itachi's Uchiha's dark obsession was born.

* * *

**Author Says:** Hello!~ Yes, another new story, I'm now writing two crossovers, but I'm feeling very positive about both of them so it's all good. Also sorry about the length of this chapter, but I'm hoping to keep these chapters shorter and update more often, at least few times a week. ^^ Another thing you should be aware of is that Itachi may be slightly OCC at places, but I will try to keep him in character. :)

**Terms used in this chapter:**

Otouto: Little Brother

Aniki: Elder (Older) Brother

Please review! I'll be mean and ask for 5-10 reviews, if I get them, I'll update tomorrow!

**Regards.**

**A.~**


	2. Friends

**Title: **Shades of Obsession

**Rating: **T, M for future chapters.

**Warning: **Violence, Suggestive themes, eventual lemons, obsessive and slightly psychotic Itachi, dark themes, possible OCC-ness, possible gore, swearing, and crude humor.

**Genre: **Adventure/Romance/Friendship/Angst

**Main Pairings: **Itachi/Kagome

**Side Pairings: **One-sided Sasuke/Kagome, TenTen/Neji, Shikamaru/Temari.

**Summary: **She was so small, so delicate, and he desired her more than the life itself.

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

**Friends**

* * *

_A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same. - _**Elbert Hubbard**

* * *

"SASUKE!"

A shrill scream was so loud that Itachi was sure that the entire village heard. He recognized the voice immediately, getting up from the spot he sat, moving towards the sound of commotion. Swiftly opening the doors to the backyard, Itachi found a not so surprising scene of Sasuke standing awkwardly before an angry looking Kagome. A toy he had noticed Kagome always carrying around now laid broken in half on the grass between the two children.

It had been a month since Sasuke and Kagome became friends, and the two were always by each other's side, always playing together, no one saw one without the other. Mikato was naturally the happiest, because she worried about Sasuke not making enough friends, and she positively loved Kagome, almost going as far as considering her the daughter she never had.

Itachi was busy with missions most of the time so it was rare for him to have free time, so he didn't see the girl as often as he may have wanted. One thing was clear to anyone who had seen Kagome around Itachi at least once before—Kagome adored him. Whenever she saw him, or whenever he had enough time to spend with her and Sasuke, she would always stay close to him, smiling at giving him unexpected hugs. It was weird at first, Itachi even pushed her away more than once, but the heartbroken look on her face after he did so made him regret his actions later. He wasn't used to someone adoring him so much, sure his brother looked up to him, villagers respected him, his peers were envious of his superior skills, but the tiny Kagome was different. Her affection was real, the spark in her eyes whenever she saw him was real as well—no strings attached.

A noise of a loud wail broke Itachi from his thoughts, making him look up and see Kagome crying loudly, staring brokenly at the toy before her feet. Itachi's expression darkened as he observed the big, fat tears running down her pale cheeks. It was natural for her get angry at Sasuke, if anything, those two argued all the time. But never before had she actually cried, at least not in front of Itachi. This was wrong, she was suppose to smile; always smile, never cry.

Itachi moved forward, his expression cold when his brother looked up at him, immediately cringing away when he noticed his aniki approaching.

"Kagome." he muttered, effectively gaining the girls attention. Kagome hastily turned around, her brown eyes full of unshed tears as she stared at him.

"Itachi-nii…"

Before he could say anything else, the girl launched herself at him, wrapping her small hands around his waist, a muffled sound of choking and crying reaching his ears. He gently laid his hand on her head, glancing at Sasuke who was looking down, a guilty look on his face.

"What did you do this time, Otouto?" Itachi asked lowly, trying to calm the still bawling girl. It was a pointless question really, especially when Itachi had a pretty good idea what happened.

"We were playing and I accidentally broke her toy," Sasuke hastily explained, "I didn't mean it, I swear!"

"Y-you're lying!" Kagome suddenly detached herself from Itachi, but still held onto him tightly. "You b-broke Gigi on purpose!" she choked out, another set of tears running down her face as she tried to rub them away.

Seeing this, Itachi captured her wrist in his cold hands, preventing her from rubbing her already red eyes any further. He soothingly ran his hand over her warm cheek, getting rid of the tears for her. Sasuke, who watched this with annoyed look on his face, quickly interfered.

"I did not break that stupid toy of yours!" he snapped, defensively. He stared at Kagome who was pressed against his aniki, holding onto him like her life depended on it. Itachi bit down a sigh, thinking of the ways he could fix this little situation. There was only one way to continue, and he gave Sasuke a stern look that spoke volume. Without even saying anything Itachi gave Sasuke a silent message, his little brother quickly understanding what his brother wanted.

Sasuke pouted a little, crossing his hands over his chest, feeling and looking slightly embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to break your toy," he whispered, but Kagome still heard him, and the crying slowed down before an occasional whimper was the only sound coming from the dark haired girl. She observed the sudden color that bloomed on her friends face, and felt Itachi nudged her lightly towards the younger boy and she glanced up at him, smiling slightly as Itachi brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. Kagome walked towards Sasuke, her eyes still burning a little, but she tried to ignore it. Sasuke seeing Kagome approaching prepared himself for another of her outbursts. However, he was met with a gentle hug instead. Blinking in confusion, he looked at Itachi who looked vaguely relieved, even if it was hard to tell with the apathetic look on his face.

"If you really didn't mean it, then it's alright, Sasu-kun." She whispered softly, nuzzling his neck, her scent overwhelming his senses. Sasuke blinked again, but then hugged his friends back before she pulled back and he stared at her curiously when she suddenly smiled.

"Why did you forgive me so quickly?" he asked. He knew that she wasn't one to hold grudges for long, but she was honestly upset this time.

"Because that's what friends do, they _forgive_."

* * *

**Author Says:** Hello!~ Thank you so much for all the reviews! I feel so happy, and just as I promised yesterday, I updated today, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter. This is also a bit longer than chapter 1, so hopefully that pleased you guys! Another thing I want to mention is the fact that there will be no Uchiha clan massacre in this story as it fits better with the story line that I have set out. You know the drill, more reviews means a quicker update! ^^

**Terms used in this chapter:**

Otouto: Little Brother

Aniki: Elder (Older) Brother

-nii: Or nii-san is a shorter way of saying onii-san. It means older brother.

**Regards.**

**A.~**


	3. Comfort

**Title: **Shades of Obsession

**Rating: **T, M for future chapters.

**Warning: **Violence, Suggestive themes, eventual lemons, obsessive and slightly psychotic Itachi, dark themes, possible OCC-ness, possible gore, swearing, and crude humor.

**Genre: **Adventure/Romance/Friendship/Angst

**Main Pairings: **Itachi/Kagome

**Side Pairings: **One-sided Sasuke/Kagome, TenTen/Neji, Shikamaru/Temari.

**Summary: **She was so small, so delicate, and he desired her more than the life itself.

* * *

**Chapter 3:**

**Comfort**

* * *

"_There is no feeling more comforting and consoling than knowing you are right next to the one you love."_** – Anonymous**

* * *

A soft sound of rain echoed around Uchiha Compound as Mikoto called her family to kitchen. The dark haired woman was smiling brightly, serving the plates around, by now used to adding an extra plate on the table. The little Kagome spend almost every day at their home, and today after receiving permission of her grandmother Kaede, who lived deep in the woods, almost at the border of Konoha, she was allowed to sleepover at Uchiha main house as Sasuke's guest.

Mikoto closed her eyes, her smile broadening at the sound of Kagome's laughter as she walked into the kitchen, tugging an annoyed Sasuke behind her. Mikoto observed the scene fondly, glad that Sasuke managed to make friends with such a cheerful girl. The Uchiha compound was eerily silent most of the time and it was so refreshing to hear shrill sounds of children laughter now. Not to mention that as a mother, she was the first to notice the differences in her sons. It was hard to tell for anyone on the outside, because both Itachi and Sasuke were so closed off, but as their mother who knew them better than anyone else, Mikato saw Sasuke's small happiness everytime she told him that Kagome was here to see him, just as she noticed Itachi's protectiveness of the small girl.

"Mhm!" Kagome hummed, happily, her eye closed as she inhaled deeply. "The food smells delicious, Mikoto-san!"

The older woman patted Kagome's head, smiling widely. "Why thank you Kagome, I do hope you enjoy it. Now, sit down you two."

Two young friends quickly did so, waiting for Fugaku and Itachi come as well before they started to eat. The stoic looking man came in few minutes later, and Sasuke quickly lowered his head as a sign of respect. Kagome smiled joyfully, giving a small bow as well. Fugaku nodded his head, his eyes resting on Kagome's figure as he seated himself at the front of the table.

"Where is Itachi?" Fugaku demanded, staring at the empty spot on his left. Sasuke cringed slightly at his father's harsh tone, staring at his food instead. Kagome looked a bit saddened by this as well; she barley ever saw Itachi because he was always busy with missions and training. His absence was something everyone got slowly used to by now. So, when Kagome heard slow yet deliberate steps walk past the kitchen, Kagome's head snapped to the doorway, where Itachi was walking towards the outside door.

"Itachi!" Mikoto called out, making her oldest son freeze in his tracks. "Where are you going?"

Itachi turned around, avoiding everyone's gazes, especially his little brothers and Kagome's. "I'm going to train."

Mikoto looked appalled by this, while Fugaku glared icily at his older son.

"But it's raining outside," she said, moving to stand closer next to her son. Itachi looked unaffected by this information as he glanced outside the kitchen window, noticing heavy amounts of rain falling from the skies.

"It doesn't matter," Itachi said at last, his voice low as he moved towards the door once more.

"I know that you're busy with work, but can't you eat dinner with your family at least once in a while?" Mikato asked in defeat, disappointment filling her chest when she saw that her son didn't even pause. However, shock quickly followed when she saw a flurry of black ran past her and grasped onto Itachi's hand, the famous prodigy stopping immediately at the contact. He glanced down and saw Kagome hugging his arm to her, gently pulling Itachi back.

"Stay…" she whispered softly, looking up at him. "I never see you anymore. I miss you so much, so please stay."

"Kagome…" Itachi's dark voice, made Kagome hold on his arm tighten, her brown eyes pleading.

Everyone stilled when Itachi's other hand rose, and Mikato tensed about to rush forwards, thinking that Itachi was about to push away or strike Kagome. However, much to surprise of Mikoto and Fugaku, Itachi lightly placed his hand on Kagome's head, giving it a soft pat. Sasuke, who felt suddenly irked by the scene before him, looked away, burying the odd feeling in his chest.

Mikoto, on other hand, observed the scene before her with mild surprise, a kind smile stretching across her face. Itachi never showed affection to anyone but his little brother, so seeing him showing some sort of fondness for someone else, especially a girl, made Mikoto very happy. She couldn't see Itachi's face, since his back was still turned towards them, but she could tell it wasn't the usual cold expression she was so used to seeing on his handsome face. Mikoto sneaked a glance at Fugaku, noticing that his usual dark and scolding expression was vaguely overshadowed by surprise.

"Kagome, let go," Itachi ordered quietly. The said girl refused by shaking her head hastily.

"No," she said, defiantly. "If I let you go, you will leave," she whispered shakily, grasping onto his shirt for more support.

Itachi turned towards her marginally, so now others could see half of his face.

"I will not leave, I promise," he told her, running his hand down her head and cheek.

Kagome stared at his face, her hold slackening ever so slightly. "Really?"

He just nodded not saying anything else. Kagome quickly took a hold of his hand, giving it a small squeeze as she led the older boy towards the dinner table. Itachi took his seat almost robotically, his expression void of any emotion. When everyone began eating it was apparent that no conversation would be made throughout the course of the meal. Sasuke kept staring at his brother, who in turn ignored him, unhurriedly eating his food. Kagome nudged Sasuke, making him almost choke on his food from the sudden contact. Kagome grinned at him, giving him a small wink that made Sasuke look away, trying to hide the blooming blush on his face.

Itachi watched them both, his expression suddenly turning colder than before.

* * *

Itachi was sitting outside the back porch, enjoying the sound of rain beating against the roof as his dark onyx eyes stared blankly at the dark forest.

There was a reason why he was acting even colder towards everyone for the last few days. On his last mission to Kirigakure him and his team were ambushed by some rogue ninja's and Itachi killed five of them. He killed them without any mercy, simply because they attacked him and his team, and he had to do everything in his power to protect them, even if it meant that he had to take lives.

He was a murderer.

Of course, as a shinobi, he had seen death more than once. That was his job, he was going to kill for the rest of his life. But, the knowledge defiantly didn't make it any easier.

He killed five men without a second thought, and the worse part was the fact that he didn't even feel guilty about it.

Every shinobi was a tool; a tool of war. They were trained since they were little to kill without hesitation, but he was expected to be that much more than just a simple shinobi. He never told anyone but he felt dirty, filthy and unclean, and no matter how much he washed his hands or his body, the feeling remained. Because it wasn't his hands that were stained, no, it was his soul instead.

"Itachi-nii?"

Itachi looked behind him and found a sleepy looking Kagome standing in the doorway, staring at him. She wore a light green PJ's, a small bunny clenched tightly in her hands. Itachi couldn't help but to find the scene completely adorable, even if he didn't voice it.

"What are you doing up, Kagome, it's late," he chided lightly, watching as the small girl wobbly walked towards him, almost falling into his already open arms. Kagome snuggled against Itachi, getting comfortable on his lap. He shook his head carelessly, rubbing Kagome's dark head—the action he learned over time, she enjoyed greatly.

"You look so lonely, Itachi-nii," she mumbled, looking at him from her position against his chest. "It makes me sad."

Itachi's expression turned icy as he tore his eyes away from Kagome and resumed his staring at the forest.

"I'm not lonely, Kagome, stop worrying," he said tightly, his cold hand stopping to rest on her warm cheek. She looked so fragile at that moment, her doe like eyes staring up at him, like he was the only one that mattered to her. He had to admit that no matter how withdraw from the others he might have been that look warmed his frozen heart.

She reached out, her small hand burying deeply in his black hair, as she pulled his head down. Itachi let her, briefly closing his eyes as her small yet warm arms found their way around him. She stroked his hair soothingly, and Itachi breathed in and out deeply, feeling more at ease than ever before in his life. Who knew that someone so small could have such big effect on him? Why her anyway? Maybe it was her innocence that made him crave her presence so much, or perhaps the fact that the light that shone so brightly from inside her, pushed back the darkness inside of him; the darkness that sheltered his ill thoughts.

"Itachi, is a good boy," she whispered kindly, comfortingly running her fingers through his hair over and over again. "You're a good boy."

Itachi's eyes clenched tightly, and he pulled his own arms around her small frame pulling her as close to him as possible, almost whishing he could mold their bodies together, to absorb the light and peaceful feeling she gave him.

"Why?" he hissed, darkly. "Why do you let me hold you? I killed someone Kagome, I'm a murderer. These hands are soaked in blood."

He felt like trying to scare her would be the best, but instead her hands tightened around him even more.

"Because, I know that Itachi-nii would never hurt someone intentionally," she muttered, quietly. "I don't care that you've killed someone, not if they tried to hurt you as well. Because, no matter what you say, I love you Itachi-nii."

His heart stilled, and an unknown emotion clenched it. He cursed the fact that someone so young can be so forgiving and perspective. She was so childish, naïve, completely obvious to the darkness of the world, and here she was, comforting him. Itachi didn't care about anything else at that moment, choosing to bask in the feeling of comfort and peace.

_I love you Itachi-nii._

And as he sat on the porch, a now sleeping Kagome on his lap, he didn't think he ever felt more utterly and completely content.

* * *

**Author Says:** Ah!~ The angst! I actually enjoyed this chapter greatly, I know that Itachi was slightly OCC, but don't forget that he's still dark and cold, except he doesn't have to kill his entire clan, and before than Itachi was actually very peaceful and kind. He's still mentally scarred, and he's pretty damaged inside, so you can understand why someone so innocent as Kagome helps him to feel so much better.

Another thing I want to explain is the reason why Kagome calls Itachi her brother. Kagome adores Itachi, she felt connected to him from the moment she saw him, so she has a great deal of respect for him and cares for him more than anyone. Itachi may see her in a slightly different angle, but they are both still too young for anything else than this sort of connection yet, but don't worry it will all happen eventually.

Hope that clears things a bit. There will be a bit more plot development next chapter, hope you will like it.

Thank you so much for you support and reviews! Can we manage 50 review by next chapter? I think yes, considering that I have so many readers, please review everyone and if we manage to get 50, I'll write up next chapter by tomorrow. How about that? ;)

**Loads of love.**

**A.~**


	4. Ignorance

**Title: **Shades of Obsession

**Rating: **T, M for future chapters.

**Warning: **Violence, Suggestive themes, eventual lemons, obsessive and slightly psychotic Itachi, dark themes, OCC-ness, possible gore, swearing, and crude humor.

**Genre: **Adventure/Romance/Friendship/Angst

**Main Pairings: **Itachi/Kagome

**Side Pairings: **One-sided Sasuke/Kagome, TenTen/Neji, Shikamaru/Temari.

**Summary: **She was so small, so delicate, and he desired her more than the life itself.

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

**Ignorance**

* * *

"_I believe in the forgiveness of sin and the redemption of ignorance_._"_** – Adlai E. Stevenson Jr.**

* * *

_2 Months Later_

"You're going to love this, Kagome-chan," Naruto exclaimed, happily, dragging an excited Kagome behind him.

Sasuke on other hand was walking behind them, glaring at the blond. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, the dark haired Uchiha reluctantly followed after the duo. It was always the same: the moment they finished their lessons, Naruto always found them and tried to get Kagome's help in perfecting one of his pranks. Naturally, Sasuke never allowed her to go alone, so he ended up following after them, to make sure Kagome was safe. He actually had hard time understanding why Kagome even liked the bothersome blond, but that was just the way Kagome was; she tried to be friends with everyone, regardless of the fact that everyone hated Naruto.

She was obvious to the glares Naruto received on daily bases, however Sasuke wasn't, he wasn't called a young genius for nothing, even if his aniki was better than him in everything.

His brother…

Sasuke shuddered of the thought of him finding out about them being friends with Naruto. According to his parents, Naruto was dangerous and they were not to approach him no matter what. Sasuke knew that his brother would be furious if he found out, especially if it involved Kagome, a blind man could see the protectiveness that seemed to radiate of Itachi whenever she was around, and Sasuke would be a liar if he said that he didn't get jealous of Kagome sometimes.

Itachi was very secretive by nature, he never shared anything with anyone, and Sasuke always felt privileged that his brother was closest to him, no one else. However, Itachi and Kagome shared something, Sasuke had no idea what, but his brother was different around her. It bothered Sasuke, a lot, not that he would ever let it show, he was an Uchiha after all.

"Naru-kun? Are you sure we should be doing this?" Kagome asked, as Naruto shoved a bucket of bright green paint in her hands, grinning mischievously at the light yellow wall of Academy building.

"Sure we should, it'll be fun," he assured, giving Kagome a big paintbrush.

"We're going to get caught, dobe," Sasuke said menacingly, giving the young boy a dark glare. "And it's going to be all your fault when we do," he added after second thought.

Naruto glared angrily at Sasuke, crossing his hands over his chest. "I hope you do get caught, teme!"

Kagome rubbed her head awkwardly, looking between two fighting boys, not sure just how to make them stop.

"Guys stop, please."

Neither listened as they continued their bickering and Kagome sighed tiredly, dipping the paintbrush in the bucket, successfully ignoring the nonstop quarrelling.

"At least I have more emotions than a brick, teme!" Naruto snapped, puffing his cheeks. Sasuke just gave him another mocking smirk, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Whatever, _dobe_," he said tauntingly, watching as Naruto went red at his emphasis on 'dobe'.

"_Guys_!" Kagome whined, giving them both a frustrated look. "Can you stop bickering for like five minutes?"

Both boys huffed, and looked away from each other, crossing their arms over their chests. Kagome rolled her eyes, slightly shaking her head, silently wondering if they realized just how much alike they _really_ were.

Naruto was the first one to notice Kagome's seemingly random splatter of paint all over the wall. He grinned brightly, reaching for another bucket, adding his own mess to the one just made, and just to finish it off, he signed his own name under it. After all, _everyone_ had to know that _he_ was the mastermind behind this piece of art.

"What is it?" Sasuke questioned dully, trying to figure out what the random mess of colours was suppose to be. As much as he hated to admit, Kagome sucked at art just as much as Naruto did.

"It's a masterpiece, that's what it is," Naruto stated proudly, making Kagome smile as well. "I mean, just look at it," he said, wildly gesturing at the wall.

Sasuke just rolled his eyes, looking away from him. "You really _are_ an idiot."

Naruto opened his mouth to say something back when a furious shout destroyed once peaceful afternoon air.

"NARUTO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"

Kagome gasped in surprise, noticing Iruka-sensei coming towards them quickly. Sasuke tensed, ready to grab Kagome and get away from there as quickly as possible. Naruto, on second hand, looked anything but worried as he pulled something from his pocket and threw it on the ground, a massive cloud of smoke suddenly exploding around them.

Sasuke almost rolled his eyes, almost. No wonder Naruto didn't look worried; he had a plan to escape from the very beginning.

"Run!" he shouted.

And Sasuke didn't need to be told twice, quickly locating Kagome in the cloud of smoke, he firmly grasped onto her wrist, pulling her into a nearby forest. He didn't even bother to find Naruto and help him out. Kagome may have been ignorant of his position in the village, but Sasuke wasn't. If anything, he didn't want that moron anywhere near her.

After all, he could honestly care less about the idiot; the only one he cared about was and always will Kagome.

* * *

The sun was setting in Konoha, and Itachi Uchiha found himself standing on the Hokage Monument, silent like usual. He observed his village with keen eye, ignoring the presence behind him, his eyes instead focused on the people beneath him. However, the person behind him knew him well enough to know that he always paid attention and began speaking anyway.

"You've been awfully withdrawal lately, Itachi, even by your standards," Shisui Uchiha said casually, staring at Itachi's back. Itachi didn't reply so Shisui continued. "Is everything alright with you?"

Itachi didn't say anything for another minute before sighing quietly, enjoying the feeling of fresh wind against his face.

"Are you here because my father send you?"

Shisui's face twisted into a scowl. "Do you really think I only came to see you because your father ordered me to? I am your friend, you know, just in case you suddenly forgot."

Itachi's eyes hardened as he turned to face Shisui, his face looking almost haunted. In the setting sun, Itachi's body seemed to glow red, making Shisui feel almost nervous; everyone feared Itachi, his presence alone was usually enough to scare people away.

Shisui glanced at the sky, taking in its beauty as he looked at Itachi once again. "I guess congratulations are in order," he said nonchalantly, observing Itachi's reaction to his words.

Itachi didn't even flinch, his cold expression remaining the same. "I see you heard already."

"Yeah, I did," he said, not all surprised by Itachi's lack of reaction. He always had been good, barley anything got to him anymore, or ever.

Itachi gave Shisui a hard look, his mind already racing. He had to admit, the fact that his best friend knew of the proposition he had recently received surprised him greatly. Only three days ago, Itachi had received a letter from Hokage himself, requesting to see him in private. In the end, Hokage wanted Itachi to become an ANBU member, which Itachi agreed to without a second thought.

"Your father is proud of you," Shisui stated, hoping that this time he would finally get a reaction. Itachi, however, once again proved to be better at self-control and simply stared at Shisui evenly.

"I could care less if my father was proud of me or not," he said monotonously, his expression as dark as his tone. And it was no surprise; things have been going especially bad between Itachi and Fugaku lately, both seemingly ignoring each other's existence. Fugaku saw his son to be a perfect way to get inside Konoha's inside circle and spy on them, also attend clan meetings and be a good little son and a puppet. The only problem was the fact that Itachi wanted nothing to do with his clan or anyone in it, besides his little brother.

Shisui's expression fell as he stared sadly at his best friend; no, more like a brother he never had.

"Your father only wants you to get closer to them. Everyone knows that Konoha elders still blame Uchiha clan about Kyuubi's attack eight years ago, and if you—"

"No," Itachi said, firmly, leaving no room for arguments or disagreements. Shisui's face fell again and he looked away.

"Look, we've been friends for years…we're like bothers. I don't think I ever truly understood you, heck, I don't think there is anyone on this planet that can truly understand you," he explained, noticing how Itachi looked away from him for a second, almost as if thinking about someone; his thoughts seemingly faraway. "But, this isn't about me or you, this about our clan and its wellbeing, and you know I would do anything for my clan. And, now it's your turn to do something for your clan as well, Itachi."

Itachi titled his head to one side, his bangs half-covering his eyes as he sneered at Shisui. "And what makes you think I care about our clan at all?"

Shisui's face transformed into a look of pure shock, Itachi's words ringing in his ears, sounding so incredibly loud.

"I-Itachi? You…you can't be serious?"

Itachi looked away, his sneer fading at its wake, his face once again returning into its usual passive one.

"My brother…he and one other are the only ones I care about, and I will do everything in my power to protect them."

That got Shisui curious. "'One other'? Who is this person you're talking about?"

"I do believe my father is eagerly awaiting for your report, Shisui," Itachi stated, coldly, his back once again turned towards him, signalling that whatever conversation they had going was over.

Shisui didn't want to let it go, but he had no other choice. "Just think about it, Itachi, this could help you to protect Sasuke and this other precious person to you."

With that said, Shisui vanished, his chakra vanishing with him, leaving Itachi alone to his thoughts.

Sadly, these thoughts were trying to fill all holes in his future plans, plans that were going to change him forever. He had to be the best if he wanted to protect Sasuke and Kagome from any harm, and especially from Konoha elders and people on the outside world who may want to harm them. And to do this, his Sharingan alone would not be enough. He knew what he needed to become truly powerful.

Mangekyō Sharingan.

The perfect weapon, the most advanced form of Sharingan, a weapon he could use to protect his brother and that small girl he felt so attached to.

There was only one problem, to get Mangekyō Sharingan one would have to kill their best friend. To kill someone close to you and to get ultimate power, that was the price for these miracle eyes. They were a blessing for their incredible powers, but, at the same time, a dark curse that one was destined to bare for the rest of their lives as a punishment for killing someone dear to them.

However, Itachi always knew he was cursed. And if it was to protect his two precious jewels, Itachi didn't care what price he had to pay. He was doomed to live this cursed life from the moment he was born. Actually, it was more like he was destined for this from the moment he first held his little brother in his arms, and the moment he first saw Kagome as she hugged him with that warm smile on her face.

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, and the next time he opened them, a fully matured Sharingan stared at the peaceful Konoha. With amazing speed he dashed towards Uchiha compound, his mind already made up about what he had to do.

_Because, I know that Itachi-nii would never hurt someone intentionally._

_Itachi, is a good boy…_

Itachi felt something inside his heart clench tightly as he remembered those tender words that he heard that night two months ago, but then he reminded himself that he was doing all of this for her sake as well. Kagome either didn't see the darkness in him and was ignorant of it or was hiding the fact that she always saw his killer side. He had the feeling that she tried to help him with her kindness, it would make so much more sense if she did.

_Forgive me, Kagome_, he thought almost sadly, _but I am not that kind person you think I am._

The moon shone brightly down his path as he increased his speed, going so quickly everything around him seemed like a blur. He stopped before Uchiha compound, glancing once again at the bright moon, his Sharingan fading away.

"_It's only a matter of time."_

* * *

Sasuke and Kagome made it to Uchiha compound by night-time, not because they were caught for their prank, but because halfway through the forest Naruto caught up with them and asked if they would join him for some ramen. Sasuke, naturally, immediately shot the idea down, but Kagome, sadly, loved that awful stuff almost as much as Naruto did, so Sasuke had no choice but to join them both—he certainly wasn't about to leave Kagome alone with that idiot. Kami knows what kind of trouble they would get themselves into without his watchful presence.

"Wow, I'm so full!" Kagome said happily, a huge smile on her face. Sasuke rolled his eyes, but he too had a small smile on his face.

"You and dobe eat more than army full of men," he stated bluntly, pushing his hands deeper into his pants pockets. Kagome laughed, suddenly linking their arms and laid her head on his shoulder, blinking cutely back at him.

"Come one, Sasu-kun, I know you like ramen too," she said cheerfully. Sasuke grunted in annoyance but didn't push her off; he knew that Kagome wasn't one of his fan girls that almost kissed the ground he walked on. She was his friend, his best friend.

"As if, I despise that stuff," he muttered, glancing up at the sky. The moon was very bright, and the stars were out as well; it was a beautiful evening.

"Kagome. Otouto."

Sasuke stared at the spot where his older brother suddenly appeared, blocking their path. It only took a second for Kagome comprehend what happened before her head quickly left Sasuke's shoulder and she ran towards Itachi, her arms immediately locking around his waist.

"Itachi-nii!" she cried out, ecstatically. Itachi, like usual, patted her head, listening to her sigh blissfully at the soft contact. She rested her own hand on Itachi's, holding it against her cheek as she smiled up at him.

"Please carry me, Itachi-nii," she pleaded, giving him a persuasive look. "Sasu-kun always refuses saying that I will break his spine! I'm not fat." she mumbled, looking down. Itachi swiftly tore her from the ground, his arm locked around her tiny waist.

"Hm. I do believe my foolish little brother lied to you, Kagome," he said calmly, carefully pushing her behind him, helping her to rest on his back as he locked his arms under her legs. "You are, in fact, very light."

Sasuke glared at Kagome, grumbling in frustration, as she stuck her tongue at him. Itachi smirked in amusement as he moved towards the compound that was only down the path they were walking on now. He made sure that Sasuke was following him as he slowly made his way towards home, savouring the feeling of tranquillity that once again came with Kagome being close to him. He felt her bury her nose in his hair as she hummed softly under her breath.

"Mmm. Itachi-nii, you smell _so_ good," came her muffled voice and Itachi smiled every so slightly.

It was at that moment that he knew he made the right choice, the choice that would help him protect his precious little Kagome in the future.

Or perhaps…

No, it would have been better to say that as soon as he'd held that tiny body in the palm of his hands, Itachi had sold his soul to the devil.

* * *

**Author Says:** Ohoho! So much foreshowing in this chapter, it's unreal. I surprise myself sometimes. And the plot fianlly begins to move! What, you didn't think this was all just mindless fluff with no plot, did you? Oh, no. This story has a solid plot behind it and we're finally beginning to get somewhere. :D

Now, I want to make one thing clear, because there still seem to be people out there that are confused about this: **THERE WILL BE NO UCHIHA MASSACRE IN THIS STORY!** Entire plot was set out this way specifically for this reason, Itachi would have been completely different if he had to kill other Uchiha's.

Also, we reacher over 50 reviews! THANK YOU! This chapter is the longest yet as my way of saying 'thank you!' guys! And, as I really hope to get 100 over the next two chapters, maybe even one if everyone who reads reviews, I decided to begin 100 reviews competition.

If you are reading this, please review and the 100th reviewer will get a chapter dedicated to them, where they will be able to choose what happens and it will be considered a 'Bonus Chapter' that will be unrelated to the main story! THANK YOU AND REVIEW!

**Loads of love.**

**A.~**


	5. Snow

**Title: **Shades of Obsession

**Rating: **T, M for future chapters.

**Warning: **Violence, Suggestive themes, eventual lemons, obsessive and slightly psychotic Itachi, dark themes, OCC-ness, possible gore, swearing, and crude humor.

**Genre: **Adventure/Romance/Friendship/Angst

**Main Pairings: **Itachi/Kagome

**Side Pairings: **One-sided Sasuke/Kagome, TenTen/Neji, Shikamaru/Temari.

**Summary: **She was so small, so delicate, and he desired her more than the life itself.

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

**Snow**

* * *

_"Kindness is like snow—it beautifies everything it covers."_** – Anonymous.**

* * *

Kagome was a child that was rather easily pleased.

She didn't need much to brighten her day or cheer her up, many saw it as a gift to always stay jovial and make others happy.

So when Kagome woke up one morning and found the ground around temple covered in white fluffy snow, she squealed in joy, flying out of her bed to get ready for her day.

Her grandmother, Kaede, had her breakfast already ready when Kagome burst into the small yet cozy kitchen. The older woman couldn't help but to smile at her granddaughter as she observed Kagome quickly shoving all the food down, desperate to be as quick as she possibly could be.

"Slow down, Kagome," the woman advised, watching as the dark haired girl smiled sheepishly, slowing down a bit.

"Sorry."

"It's quite alright," Kaede assured the young girl. "So let me guess; you are going to the Uchiha compound again?"

Kagome looked down at her feet that were dangling from the floor, embarrassment making her stop eating completely. "Umm, yeah." she whispered, meekly.

Kaede nodded in understanding.

"Don't misunderstand me, Kagome, I'm glad you made friends. You used to spend far too much time alone," she said kindly, smiling at the surprised look on girls face. "You're such kind child, I'm glad you're so happy now."

Kagome blinked before swiftly hugging a startled Kaede. "Thank you, grandmother."

"Now, I do believe I will accompany you to town. I need get some tea, it's quite chilly out there."

"Gran, don't you mean 'sake' instead of 'tea'?"

A minute later, Kagome was rubbing a bump on her head with a childish pout on her face.

* * *

The streets of Konoha were covered in a thick cover of beautiful white snow much like the temple was. Kagome was trilled to say the least, her happy hazel eyes bright with excitement. Kaede was slowly walking behind the overexcited girl, a tiny smile on her ancient face. Children were everywhere, gleeful sounds of youngster's laughter echoing around the streets as they played in snow.

"Kagome-chan!" a blond haired boy shouted, waving his arms around, successfully gaining the said girl's attention.

"Naru-kun!" she waved back, noticing that Sasuke was standing not far from the blond, staring at her with his dark eyes.

"Why don't you go and join your friends, Kagome," Kaede said, placing a hand on her granddaughter's shoulder. Kagome nodded and after giving her grandmother another hug and a quick goodbye, dashed off towards a small group of kids.

The moment Kagome was in his range, Naruto swept Kagome into a bone-crushing hug, making her laugh loudly.

"Let her go, dobe," Sasuke's voice rang coldly, and Naruto slowly release Kagome, glaring darkly at the annoyed looking Uchiha.

"Who are you to decide, teme, you act like you own her or something," Naruto accused, pointing his finger directly at Sasuke's face. "She can make her own choices, and I can hug her all I want, I'm her friend after all."

"Don't be an idiot, dobe," Sasuke hissed, turning away from them, hiding his face and a sudden dark spark in his eyes. "Oh, wait, it's already to late for that, you're already a _dobe_."

Naruto fumed, his face red, as he was about to charge at Sasuke, but a small hand stopped him as it rested on his shoulder. Naruto turned around and saw Kagome holding a medium sized snowball in her hand, grinning mischievously.

Sasuke didn't even know what hit him, when a cold and slightly wet lump of snow hit him straight in the side of his face. It was like everything suddenly froze, every single child around them turning to stare at the trio and the stunned Uchiha.

The silence was abruptly broken by Naruto's loud laughter. Kagome too was biting her lip, trying and failing at hiding her own mirth, staring at the seemingly motionless Sasuke. With a sharp jerk, Sasuke wiped off the snow of his face, neck and hair, before turning his burning eyes on Kagome. The girl shrunk back when she noticed his heated glare on her, using Naruto as her human shield.

"Why don't you come a little closer, Kagome," Sasuke said darkly, his eyes flashing, and Kagome gulped knowingly, easily recognizing the look in her best friends eyes. It was the same look that meant she was in a lot of trouble. "I have something important to tell you."

There was a sudden cry from a random kid in the crowd. "Snowball fight!"

And then the whole hell broke loose.

Kagome, ignoring Sasuke's still present glare, grabbed onto his hand and quickly pulled him and Naruto with her and took cover. They swiftly separated into teams and the real battle begun.

* * *

Kagome breathed deeply, catching the looks from her two remaining teammates. Sasuke was to her right, his back pressed against the bark of an old oak tree. Naruto was on her left; he was hiding behind a big slope of snow, his face looking unusually determined.

Kagome exhaled deeply, briefly closing her eyes in concentration. The tree of them were up against Shikamaru, Kiba and Ino, who were the only three people remaining on the opposing team. Kagome knew that Shikamaru, although lazy, was amazing at creating effective strategies, many called him a young genius for his amazing intelligence. Kiba, on other hand was all about physical strength, he was both fast and strong for his age, which served him very well in playing this game. However, Kagome had to admit that she was rather surprised by the fact that Ino was still in the game. She was quick and very crafty so it was hard to get her.

But, Kagome knew that she had this game in the bag. Sasuke was incredibly agile and strong, not to mention very smart; he was an Uchiha after all. Naruto was not called a number one prankster of Konoha for no reason either; his stealth skills were very good when he needed them. Kagome was their main strategist, helping them survive effectively so far.

Lifting her head and winking at both of her teammates, Kagome gave Naruto their agreed signal, and the blond demon host dashed forward from his hiding spot, letting out a gaudy battle cry. Two snowballs were clenched tightly in his hands as he aimed them towards Shikamaru and Kiba who jumped up from their hiding spots.

"Here I COME!" he yelled, jumping high in the air, throwing the two snowballs in the air and towards the two boys who were more than ready to defend themselves. Naruto, sadly, misjudged his throw and the two snowballs sailed past both Shikamaru and Kiba. Naruto landed on the ground a little roughly and Kiba immediately jumped at the opportunity to throw his own snowball at him. Luckily, Naruto managed to dodge it, making Ino jump out of her hiding spot as well, aiming her own ball of snow at the hyper blond.

Kagome gave Sasuke a sharp nod, and the Uchiha boy quickly vanished from her view. Kagome wasted no time to leap from her own hiding spot, but for Naruto it was already too late as he laid on the snow covered ground, wiping off his lightly bruised cheek were Shikamaru's snowball hit him.

Sprinting forward, Kagome managed to catch both Shikamaru and Ino off guard as her snowballs managed to hit them both on their heads. Kagome stopped next to the fallen Naruto, instantly hoisting him from the cold ground, brushing some snow off him. She managed to ignore Ino's shrieks of displeasure as Shikamaru slowly cleaned his own face.

"Kagome! You got snow all over my face and in my hair!" Ino screamed, looking frustrated as she tugged on her blond hair. Kagome smiled slightly, biting her lip.

"Sorry, Ino," she said apologetically, supporting Naruto who was now standing beside her.

Suddenly, an amused chuckle sounded behind her and Kagome turned around and saw a smug looking Kiba standing behind them. He wore a huge smirk on his face, two snowballs of his own in each hand as he leisurely tossed them up and down in the air.

"Hehe…did you forget about me, _Kagome-chan_?" he asked teasingly and Kagome tensed when he threw two snowballs directly at her face, leaving her no chance of dodging. She actually panicked, silently wondering where Sasuke was; he was supposed to make his move ages ago. But before she could wonder that out loud, a black and blue blur suddenly landed before her protectively and everyone watched in awe as Sasuke caught two snowballs and crushed them into tiny bits.

Kiba gulped audibly, looking panicked as Sasuke pinned him with a dark look that would scare most people witless. The dark haired boy leered at him, pulling his own snowball out of his jacket pocket.

"Sorry, did _you_ happen to forget about _me_?" Sasuke questioned, staring at the boy through narrowed eyes, inwardly enjoying the way Kiba froze up.

It was Kiba's turn to stand numbly as snow smeared all over his face. Kagome and Naruto laughed and cheered, both looking pleased that they won.

"How troublesome. I never expected Kagome to sacrifice Naruto to get to us," Shikamaru mumbled, boringly cleaning his clothes. Sasuke looked at the blond knowingly, an amused smile on his face.

"Dobe was the only one capable of distracting the lot of you while I and Kagome got into our positions," he explained smoothly, rolling his eyes vaguely when Kagome flung her arm around his shoulder, including him into a 'group hug'.

Ino blushed lightly but then scowled at Kagome as she hugged Sasuke tightly, and the worst part was the fact that Sasuke actually _allowed_ her to hug him.

"Kagome. Otouto."

Everyone jumped when Uchiha Itachi unexpectedly landed in front of Sasuke and Kagome, latter still holding onto Naruto.

Itachi observed intently Kagome's flushed face and Sasuke faintly running nose, his dark eyes lingering on Kagome's arms around Naruto and vise-versa. Itachi's hands twitched a little, the action going unnoticed by everyone but Sasuke. Itachi hated the very idea of his little Kagome being anywhere near the Kyuubi's host and it took a lot of will power not to go right up to them and forcefully rip the blond boy away from her.

"Mother wants you home, Sasuke, the last thing she want is for you to catch a cold," Itachi said boringly, watching as Kagome's face fell a little. "She also said that Kagome is more than welcome to join us," he added a little more gently than before, his eyes focused solely on Kagome.

Sasuke nodded his head, turning to face the miko girl who after detaching herself from Naruto (much to Itachi's inaudible relief) skipped towards her best friend, grabbing onto his hand. Ino twitched angrily, but smiled back as Kagome waved at everyone, promising to meet them all tomorrow.

Itachi followed after his younger brother and his best friend, but not before casting another dark look at Naruto, who actually took a step back from slight fear.

Kagome, meanwhile, was humming under her breath, smiling at the sound of snow crunching beneath her feet. Her hand held tightly onto Sasuke's hand and the younger Uchiha walked beside her, occasionally glancing up to look at the wide grin on her face. Itachi caught up with the two in no time, silently observing the happy miko and his little brother.

"Mother made us some tea," he said, watching as two dark heads turned towards him. Kagome cheered, pumping her fist in the air.

"Yay! I love Mikoto-san's tea!" she replied chirpily, increasing her phase even more, almost dragging Sasuke with her, who unsurprisingly looked less than trilled.

Itachi shook his head, looking amused by Kagome's cheerfulness.

The trio made it back to Uchiha compound rather quickly as they stepped into a spacious hallway, removing their wet clothes in Kagome's and Sasuke's case.

Mikoto, hearing the commotion in the hallways, poked her head from the kitchen and beamed brightly when she saw that her sons were back, and that they brought Kagome with them.

"Ah. So you're all back, come on quickly, I have tea prepared," the older female said, ushering three children into the kitchen, seating them around the dinner table.

Kagome took her cup carefully from Mikoto's hands and took a small sip of her drink, closing her eyes and purring in content as warm liquid ran down her throat, warming her up. Her happiness only increased when Mikoto brought in two large blankets and wrapped them around Sasuke and herself.

Itachi smiled faintly, leisurely sipping on his tea, observing as Kagome snuggled into the blanket, her eyes half-lidded. Nonetheless, his good mood rapidly vanished when he sensed an all too familiar chakra signature approaching their household.

A short knock on the door came only few seconds later, and Itachi's body tensed whether Kagome and Sasuke stared at the door with burning curiosity. Mikoto opened the door smoothly, making a sound of surprise and pleasure as Shisui's figure strode in, shaking his head to get rid of the snow that was now freshly falling outside.

"My, Shisui, it's so good to see you again, its been a while," Mikoto said pleasantly, leading the boy into the kitchen where he was met with two pairs of questioning eyes and one pair of dark eyes that glared at him, even if his expression was emotionless like usual.

"Sorry, Mikoto-san, I've been busy with missions lately," the boy replied embarrassedly. Mikoto smiled sympathetically, gesturing for the fellow Uchiha to take a seat while she made more tea.

Shisui smiled and thanked her as he strode to take a seat behind the table.

"It's good to see you, Itachi, Sasuke," he greeted, his gaze resting on the small girl sitting between two brothers. "And who's this? I don't think I've seen you around before. Are you Sasuke's friend? What's your name?"

The little miko blushed under older boys inquiring stare, and making a small whimpering sound, pulled the blanket tighter around her, and pressed herself against Itachi's side, hiding her face against his shirt. Sasuke sighed as if used to the action and resuming his tea drinking, but Itachi paused and sensing the small girls distress, lifted his hand and loosely dropped his arm around her shoulder.

Shisui had to bite his tongue from saying something stupid or letting his jaw drop. He knew for a fact that Itachi _hated_ to be touched; it was a well-known fact. He disliked any sort of physical contact with anyone but his little brother. Any sort of human contact he did make were with enemies—if they were actually good enough to even _touch_ him—or his little brother who Itachi cared great deal about.

So, seeing this little girl pressing against Itachi came as a huge surprise, but it was even bigger surprise when Itachi so casually dropped his arm around her, in almost soothing motion as if reassuring her that he was there for her.

_Could she be...? Is it possible that she's the other person Itachi said he cares about?_

Sasuke glanced at Kagome briefly before turning to face Shisui again. "Her name is Kagome."

"Eh. Nice to meet you, Kagome-chan, my name is Shisui," the older boy said, hoping to ease her nerves. Nevertheless, she did the opposite and pressed herself even tighter against Itachi's side. Itachi having enough, placed his empty cup on the table and with one swift move gathered Kagome in his arms, carrying her out of the kitchen, ignoring Sasuke's calls for them to come back and Shisui's astonished face.

Kagome didn't make a sound as Itachi carried her to his room, gently placing her on his bed. The young girl peeked at him, her expression apprehensive.

"Are you mad?"

Itachi sat besides her, giving her a sideways look. "No, I simply didn't want you to be around Shisui if you're feeling uncomfortable."

Kagome let the blanket rest around her shoulders as she crawled closer towards Itachi, resting her head on his shoulder; even though she could barley reach it. Itachi gave her a delicate smile, running his hand through her soft hair, causing her to relax even more against him.

"I don't like him."

Itachi paused in his action before resuming it again. "Why?"

"He looks at you weirdly," she groused sleepily, snuggling into him and Itachi laid down, letting her lay her head on his chest as she sighed contentedly.

"He's my friend, Kagome," he said, his arms resting around her tiny form, listening to her regular breathing.

Kagome snorted tiredly, huddling as close as possible to Itachi's warm body. "You have some strange friends, Itachi-nii," she whispered, and Itachi smiled briefly, staring up at the ceiling.

Their moment was broken by a quite knock on his door, and when the door creaked open a concerned and embarrassed looking Sasuke stood in the doorway.

Kagome sluggishly lifted her head from Itachi's chest and smiled weakly at Sasuke, lifting her hand towards him as if waiting for him to take it.

"Come on, Sasu," she mumbled, still holding her hand towards him expectantly. Sasuke flushed lightly, abruptly turning away from them, hiding his reddened face.

"What are you doing sleeping with, nii-san?" he asked a hint of anger present in his voice.

Kagome blinked again, and Itachi masked his amusement as she patted his bed twice. "Come already, Sasu, I'm sleepy."

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, but one look from Itachi made him snap his mouth shut and nod. Staring awkwardly at the floor, he came closer towards the bed and laid on other side of Itachi, moving closer towards him when his older brother gave him a softer look and patted his head.

Kagome just smiled tiredly, closing her eyes, her small hand holding onto Itachi's shirt firmly.

The three fell asleep in that position before they even realized what happened.

* * *

The next morning came quickly and Mikoto woke up early like usual. After going through her morning routine, she began making breakfast for everyone. Glancing at the clock, Mikoto blinked, wondering why no one was awake yet. Fugaku had left for work early that morning, but Itachi too was an very early riser, he usually trained for hour or two before she finished breakfast. With that thought in mind Mikoto finished cooking food and set out to wake up both Sasuke and possibly Itachi, not to forget Kagome who according to Sasuke, Itachi took to his room yesterday and never came back.

She stopped before Sasuke's door first and knocked gently before opening the wooden door. Mikoto blinked when she saw an empty bed, covers freshly made like Sasuke haven't even slept in his bed. A sense of dread filled Mikoto before she hurriedly walked towards Itachi's bedroom doors.

Mikoto didn't even bother to knock when she hurled the door open, freezing at the scene she was met with.

Biting inside her cheek to stop herself from saying; 'AWW!' Mikoto inspected the cute sight before her.

Her two boys and Kagome were all curled up on Itachi's bed, sleeping soundly. Itachi was in the middle, his face more relaxed and peaceful than Mikoto had seen in a long while, his head titled to rest on top of Kagome's, one of his arms around her waist. Kagome laid on his left, her head resting on Itachi's chest and one of her tiny feet intertwined with his own. Sasuke was resting on Itachi's right, his head laid on his brother's shoulder, one of his hands holding onto Kagome's.

In other words, it had to be the cutest scene Mikoto had ever seen. So, after giving the sleeping children another smile, she noiselessly closed the door, letting them sleep a while longer.

Mikoto knew that all three of them were incredibly close, but what she really worried about was the unavoidable truth that one day Kagome would have to choose which boy she cared about more, and it would prove to be painful for everyone.

After all, she could only have _one_ brother.

* * *

**Author Says:** Hello, my beloved readers. I apologize for the late update, I've been sick entire weekend, and I'm still sick now with sore throat, stuffy nose and temperature. So, I hope you can forgive me for my lateness. And please don't hate me for any glaring mistakes in this chapter, I tried my best. I also know that the snow thing is kind of cliche, but I love snow, so don't blame me for adding it. One could also say it's a short break from the darker theme in the last chapter, but it is really a silence before the storm.

Also, I want to thank each and everyone of you for reviewing, even if the number of reviews dropped again. And I REALLY, REALLY hope to make it the big old 100 this chapter. It is 28 reviews away, but you know what? A LOT of people read this, so if you want to make the author VERY happy, please help me reach 100. Plus, this chapter is the longest yet, so it deserves the reviews! I'm not begging or anything, it just would be very cool if you all did review. ^^ Don't forget the 100th reviewer still gets the chapter dedication too! :D

**Loads of love.**

**A.~**


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